Needs
by Hells-angel8
Summary: Sometimes a friend is all you need. Hurt/Comfort


Title: Needs

Author: Hells-angel8 

Rating: PG 

Disclaimer: I don't own them.  

Tribute to: Hostilecrayon since she asked so nicely.  

Type: Hurt/comfort  

Pairing: 1+2 (Heero pov)

*****************

I don't know how many times I've sat here like this. Too many times to count probably, but I'll never get tired of it. Duo needs me.

When the war ended he ended up going back to the scrap yard, a place where Hilde was of course, he had to protect his so called little sister, and I didn't have any reason to stay with him.

Well, I did. He was my best friend after all the only one of the five of us I considered to be close to any way. However, I knew I couldn't return to him until I found myself. That little piece of me that was missing and was calling out to me. I had a duty to find it or at least try to. But even after months of being away from everyone, I still ended up going back to the place I felt safest. I ended up going home to Duo.

Duo was delighted to see me... Oh all right! I'll admit it he was ecstatic to see me. He tossed his arms around me and held me so tight I thought he was going to crack my ribs. He still looked the same as always, which came as a surprising relief. His hair was still in that long braid, his grin never seemed to waver as he beamed it up at me, he still grabbed onto me when he wanted to get my attention and never was afraid to tell me I was being an idiot when I was.

Life with Duo just seemed to be right somehow, and then one day Wufei found us and asked us to join Preventer with him. Duo wasn't as thrilled with the proposal as much as I was, but when Wufei asked if we would be partners again, Duo just beamed him a smile and said he would never even think of leaving his place at my side to be filled by someone else. Those words hit me more than anything ever could and gave me a hell of a wake up call.

Maybe Duo needed me as much as I needed him. I certainly hoped so.

We were maybe two months into our job when I figured out Duo was doing something behind my back. He would sneak off on nights when I decided to stay a bit late at the office and then he would come in at the wee hours of the morning.

At first, I didn't really notice. I'd be asleep thinking he'd gone out with someone from the office or going shopping since Duo took care of that and it always surprised me what kind of odd hours he went out at. I got suspicious after he started to come back to the apartment with bruises that I couldn't figure out how he had gotten. He waved me off saying he had bumped into something and it was fine. I let myself believe him since I had no reason to doubt him. I guess I should've of realized that just bumping into a filing cabinet or a desk couldn't possibly create a bruise that big, but I chalked it up to Duo being paler than me and his skin bruised easily.

It's kind of embarrassing to admit now, that I didn't really find out until our phone rang at three o'clock in the morning and it woke me from a dead sleep. Hilde was on the other end pleading with me to come to the hospital right away. The first thing I did was ask if she wanted me to wake Duo and that when her voice went silent for a few seconds before she whispered, that Duo was the one in the hospital.

I think the shock more than anything tore at me. Questions flew out of my lips before my brain could catch up with it. Hilde tried to answer me, before she yelled at me to shut my mouth and get down to Bailey's hospital right away. I didn't need to be told twice. I hung up the phone and grabbed whatever clothes I could find and tugged them on before racing out the door.

The emergency room was packed full and it took me a while before I found Hilde and asked her what was going on. I found out that Hilde had been asking Duo occasionally to help out at the scrap yard. He would come there at night so I wouldn't worry about him or reprimand him for being reckless. Duo had been moving piece of a dismantled mobile doll that was to be stripped down for its' internal parts when another piece slipped out from underneath where he was standing and part of the suit landed on his legs. The doctors had just told Hilde he would recover but it would take weeks for him to heal properly.

"Can I see him?" Hilde nodded and took me over to the nurses' station.

The woman behind the desk looked tired and worn but she still managed to smile when I asked her if we could go see Duo. At first she didn't tell us anything until she got Duo's paper work and found out both Hilde and I were Duo's next of kin. With all the business put to the side she began to tell us what we wanted to know. She told us he had been moved up to a room since he would have to stay a few more days. His legs had been set and a cast was to be put on him as soon as the swelling went down some. I asked if there were any other injuries which thankfully she said there weren't.

I sighed in relief and then we headed up to Duo's room. He was resting, thankfully, when we entered the room. His braid dangling off the bed and a blank expression on his face. I stepped closer to him and just watched him as he breathed. Hilde made some comment of getting coffee and left the room. With her presence gone, I left myself occupy the chair next to Duo's bed and reached out for the hand that lay so close to me. Gently, I touched those fingers, feeling the iciness of them and slowly wrapped both of mine around his.

He was so cold.

"Heero?" I turned my head and saw his blue-violet eyes slit open.

"Hey. You need anything?" He slowly shook his head then stopped and looked away. His eyes blankly staring at the wall. "Duo?"

"So I guess you heard the news, huh? I really messed up this time. I'm sorry Heero. I should've told you before this... happened." He gestured down to his legs. I glanced at them a moment before turning my gaze back on him. I knew his legs were in braces underneath the covers, but that didn't matter. Duo was blaming himself and had closed himself off to me.

"Duo it doesn't matter. You were helping out Hilde and this... this is just an accident. I'll call the commander and tell her we need some time off."

"We? Heero, there's no reason for you to take time off as well."

"Sure there is. Who else is going to take care of you?" I asked and he turned his face back to look at me in surprise. His eyes widening when he realized I wasn't kidding.

"You're serious, aren't you?" He whispered.

"Completely so." I smiled softly at him and reached out to brush the bangs from his eyes. His eyes fluttered closed as I stroked his hair, gently lulling him back to the well-needed sleep he craved. I sat next to him for the rest of the night. Hilde came back with a coffee for me before she announced that she was going to head back to the yard and get some sleep of her own. I told her I'd call if anything changed and she said she'd return the next morning so I could get some sleep as well. I thanked her and then turned back to watch Duo sleep in a silent dreamland.

****

Taking care of Duo wasn't all bad, I got to help him out at his therapy and the commander had no choice but to give us some time off so I could work with Duo on getting his strength up and give him back the ability to walk. He held onto my arms as he took his first few steps and I was always there when he faltered and picked him back up into my arms until he was ready to try again.

It took him several weeks to be able to rotate his legs enough that he was somewhat mobile but still rather shaky if he pushed himself too hard. He got frustrated when I wouldn't let him continue his exercises when I knew he'd had enough and still refused to give up. Just as soon as he was about to curse me out for stalling his progress is when he usually felt the effects of his workout and I would just smirk at him for being right.

It was a few more weeks before Duo convinced me that I could go back to work and he could do enough without my help. I knew that he could and he was in a wheelchair so he could get around the apartment all right to take care of his basic necessities. However, I still told him that if he needed help with anything; going to the bathroom or anything else, he was to call me immediately and not think he could do it himself.

So I went to work thinking that he'd be okay, only to get a phone call later that morning from Duo to say he needed help with something. That something happened to be him lying on the floor in the hall way to the bathroom.

"Duo, what were you thinking?" I gently propped him up against my chest and then noticed that Duo's pants were wet.

"I was thinking that I really had to go and that I could make it. Sorry for bothering you at work." He mumbled out and wrapped his arms around mine.

"Don't apologize. You know I'll come whenever you need me." I let my words skin in and hugged him gently. "Now how about we get you cleaned up?"

"That's sounds really good." I slowly picked him up and made our way to the bathroom. Kicking down the toilet seat, I sat him on it then helped him out of his pants then handed him a wash cloth so he could clean himself up and left to get him a pair of boxers to put on. When I came back, Duo just looked up at me with sad eyes that stopped me in my tracks.

"What's wrong?" Duo just shook his head and the chuckled to himself.

"How do you do it?" He asked me.

"Do what?" I asked slipping the boxers up his legs then helping him stand up so he could tug them up the rest of the way.

"Know when I need you and take care of me so well."

"You would do the same for me wouldn't you?" I asked, not having a doubt in my mind that he would.

"Of course I would. I just... I don't know how you can be so strong."

"That's easy." Duo looked up into my eyes then, he looked confused for a moment before I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I'm strong because my best friend needs me."

Duo smirked and kissed my cheek. "And I do really need my Heero."

****

End.


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